Cabinet defends controversial LNG development project
02/25/2021 08:30 PM
Photo courtesy of the Rescue Datan s Algal Reefs Alliance
Taipei, Feb. 25 (CNA) The Cabinet spokesman on Thursday defended a controversial liquefied natural gas (LNG) project located near an area of algae reef in northern Taiwan, indicating that every effort has been made to avoid environmental damage while securing the country s energy supply.
The comments by Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) came at a regular Cabinet press briefing after public calls to sign a petition supporting a referendum to stop the LNG project went viral in recent days.
The referendum was initiated last year by Rescue Datan s Algal Reefs Alliance convener Pan Chong-cheng (潘忠政).
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Environmentalists are urging the public to sign a petition to push for a referendum to protect algal reefs off the coast of Taoyuan.
State-run utility CPC Corp, Taiwan is building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal off the coast of Datan Borough (大潭) in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音), a project that was approved by the Environmental Protection Administration in 2018.
Environmentalists have been opposed to the project, saying the coast is home to algal reefs with a nearly 7,500-year history, as well as other precious ecosystems.
Rescue Datan’s Algal Reefs Alliance convener Pan Chong-cheng (潘忠政) last year initiated a referendum proposal to protect